Automobile steering wheel



Dec.V 26, 1939.

P. E. ERICKSON 2,184,588

AUTOMOBILE STEERING WHEEL Filed sept. e, 1958 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 26, 1939 l. f

- UNITED 'PA-reir i 1 2,184,588 l Y v AUTOMBILE STEERING williin.,-

Prentis E. Erickson, Minneapolis, 1

Application September 6, 1938, Serial No. 228,660

2 Claims. (Cl. i4-555) This invention relates to improvements in auand with a single split transversely extending tomobile steering wheels, and more particularly spo-ke forming portions 4 and 5.` As seen from to a molded wheel having a single transverse the drawing, the metal core 3 extends to the spoke extending across the wheel, and said spoke inner edges of the spoke sections 4 and 5, and 5 being split, as well as the rim of the wheel, to that the section 5 will fold forwardly towards 5 provide for the folding up forwardly of the porthe front and will overlie the portion 4. A pair tion of the wheel nearest the driver, so that ready of piano type hinges 5 and 1 will be secured to access may be had to and from the drivers seat. the inner adjacent faces of the spoke sections An object of my invention is to provide an 4 and 5, and will extend from points adjacent improved transversely split automobile steering the rim of the wheel to points adjacent the hub 10 wheel, which is provided with a single transverse thereof. The hub 8 of the wheel is also formed spoke, the said rim and spoke being formed in from metal and extends the full distance around two identical parts, and connected together by the steering column, while the reinforcing core means of a pair of hinges, normally concealed 3 in the spoke section 5 is formed to engage and within the spoke, and with a dual latch mechafit about the hub 8, thereby reinforcing and l5 nism operated by a single hand operating mechastrengthening the wheel assembly. nism placed adjacent the hub of the wheel, where ,Sockets 9 and Ill are formed respectively in the it will be out of the way, but will be instantly Spoke sections 4 and 5, and the sockets I0 are ready for operation when it is desired to fold the arranged to IECBV@ the Spring PIOJ'eCted latches wheel forwardly. II.' The latches II are formed with enlarged 20 Another object of the invention is to provide heads I2, and with guide rods I3 formed with an improved automobile steering wheel, which the heads I4 at their ends, and projecting springs will be highly efficient in operation,` and which 2| are coiled about the rods I3 and are received will be quite inexpensive t0 manufacture, within the sockets I0, for normally projecting the Other objects will appear as the description heads I2 of the latches Il forwardly. vA han- 25 proceeds, e dle latch operating member I5 vis provided and In the accompanying drawing, which forms a is formed with an arcuate central portionwith part of my application, oppositely extending alined ends I6 and I1, Figure 1 is a sectional view taken on the line through Which the guide rOdS I3 extend. The of Figure 2; central portion I5 is arranged to lie near the 30 Figure 2 is a plan View partly in section showhub of the wheel, but in such a manner that a ing the hinge and latch arrangement for the hand-may readily grasp the Same and retract wheel; the latches II from the sockets 9 formed inthe Figure 3 is a plan View partly in section, sho-wspoke section 4 in alinement with the sockets I0. ing the Wheel `in folded POSitOIl; Thus, it will be seen that when the wheel is in 35 Figure l iS a partial plan View 0f the folded operation or ready for operation, the latches II Wheel Showing the latch mechanisms ready for will be received within the sockets s, but when SnaPPng Oa- Ck mt@ IPCkmg postloli it is desired to fold the wheel upon itself, the

Flgjlre 5 1S a Partial Sectlonal BW taken 0n handle lis will be pulled towards the driver of the the-1me 5 5 of Flgulje 2 and automobile, and when the heads I2 are free fr0-m 40 Flgure 6 1S a partlal sectlonal VleW taken on the sockets 9, the rear half of the wheel may the line 5-6 of Figure 3.

readily be swung on its hinges to overlle and seat Like characters of reference are used through on the forward half of the Wheel.

out the following specification and the accompanying drawing to designate' Corresponding From the foregolng description, 1t will bevap- 45 partsI y parent that I have devlsed a very compact and o 4In carrying out my invention, I provide an eicient form of steering wheel, and one which automobile steering wheel", which is divided into Will be free from @Omplwated parts which might two similar halves, and is further provided with get Out 0f Order.

o, single transversely extending spoke, one half It will be understood that many minor Changes of the split spoke being carried by one half of the in detail of construction may be resorted to withwheel, and the other half of the. split spoke beout departure from the spirit of the invention. ing carried by the other half of the wheel or rim. Having thus described my invention, what I The wheel is made in two portions designated claim as new and desire to secure by Letters I and 2, and is provided with a metal core 3, Patent of the United States is; 55

2f A v2,184,582;

1. An automobile steering Wheel comprising a rim and a single transversely extending spoke, said rim and spoke being split on a medial line forming similar Wheel sections, concealed hinges connecting said spoke sections at opposite sides of the hub portion of the Wheel, a pair of latch members carried by one spoke section adapted to engage and be received Within the other spoke section to lock the Wheel sections together, said spoke sections .beingcformed with -alinednsockets to receive thefglatchv members, andjiangarcuate latch control handle for retracting the latches When it is desired to fold one section of the Wheel' upon the other wheel section.

2. An automobile steering wheeldcomprisinga 

